Banitsa
Banitsa is perhaps the most popular dish of everyday Bulgarian cuisine, a pastry made with dough sheets and cheese found at every bakery, ready for breakfast or as a quick snack at any hour. The recipe is so deeply rooted in Bulgarian culinary identity that almost every grandmother has her own technique for crumpling the sheets, considered a family secret passed down through generations. On New Year's Eve, banitsa takes on special significance: small paper notes with wishes or coins are hidden inside, and the person who finds the note with the year's luck or the coin is considered blessed for the coming year. This tradition, called "lucky banitsa," turns a simple everyday recipe into a festive ritual full of anticipation and collective joy.
Thin phyllo sheets
Sheets of dough, rolled very thin, are crumpled and layered in waves.
Sirene cheese filling
Crumbled cheese mixes with beaten eggs, forming a savory cream.
Butter-brushed layers
Each sheet is brushed with melted butter before being crumpled and placed.
Egg and yogurt glaze
A mixture of egg and yogurt is poured on top before baking, for a golden crust.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 400g phyllo dough sheets
- 300g crumbled sirene cheese (or feta)
- 4 eggs
- 150g melted butter
- 150ml yogurt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 50ml sparkling water
- 1 pinch of salt
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
How to make it
- 1Mix the crumbled sirene cheese in a bowl with two beaten eggs and a pinch of salt, forming a savory, creamy filling.
- 2Generously grease a round baking pan with melted butter.
- 3Spread each phyllo sheet on a clean surface, brush it with melted butter using a pastry brush, then sprinkle a few spoonfuls of the cheese filling, distributed unevenly over the surface.
- 4Gently crumple the greased sheet, forming a loose, wavy roll, which is then placed in a spiral in the greased pan, starting from the center toward the edge.
- 5Repeat the process with each sheet of dough, until all the sheets and all the filling are used up, forming a pattern of concentric waves.
- 6Beat the remaining two eggs with the yogurt, baking soda and sparkling water, obtaining a foamy mixture, which is poured evenly over the entire surface of the banitsa.
- 7Let it sit for 10 minutes for the liquid mixture to settle, seeping between the layers.
- 8Bake the banitsa at 180°C for 35-40 minutes, until the surface turns golden and crispy.
- 9Serve warm, sliced, ideally alongside plain Bulgarian yogurt.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
